Road center joint



June 29, 48- R. R. RoBER'i's N 4 ROAD CENTER JOINT Filed Sept. 10,1945

,ZZVEIYZ UF Babe/'5 Z3 Baberison Patented June 29, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT 1 OFFICE j ROAD- CENTER JOINT Robert R. Robertson, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 10, 1945, 'SerialNo. 615,370

5 Claims. (01.94-1'7) This invention relates to road joints and mor particularly to a road center jointforming uni-t constructed out of light weight sheet metal stamped out or cut and bent into shape to form a unitary joint structure provided with anchoring members and formed with overhung and underslung pocketswhich are recessed in adjacent sections of the joint structure for the reception of concrete forming opposite slabs of the road and causing said slabs to'interfit and overhang one another whereby loads applied to said slabs are adapted to be transmitted across the joint from one side of the road to the other, thereby disseminating the applied forces and strains to protect-the road and lengthen the life thereof.

It is an object of this invention to provide a center joint sheet metal form shaped and formed with overlapping pockets and with anchoring means whereby concrete which is poured on opposite sides of the form when supported in place to produce road slab constructions which not only interfit but overlap one another for the transmission of applied loads from one slab to another across the joint connecting the slabs.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a center joint forming form which is so shaped and formed that when it is embedded in concrete the resultant slabs are shaped to interfit and overlap one another through the vertical center plane of the joint for the transfer for load strains from one slab to another.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a unitary sheet metal road center joint form cut and shaped into intermediate sections identically shaped but in reversed relation to one another and each including reversed upper and lower pockets projecting in opposite directions through the vertical center plane of the form for the formation of interfitting and overlapping concrete road slabs adapted to hold one another in place when subjected to load strains.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a sheet metal road center joint form having the middle portion thereof throughout the length of the'form cut and shaped to form spaced sections, each formed with reversed upper and lower pockets separated by a common plate including oppositely projecting anchor members, whereby concrete, poured to embed the form, is formed into overlapping and interfitting slabs anchored to one another whereby applied loads are transmitted from one slab to an opposite slab.

It is furthermore an object of this invention to provide 'a road center joint form of unitary construction divided into alternate reversed zigsag sections, each provided with reversed superimposed pockets and with oppositely projecting anchors whereby concrete poured to embed the form is shaped into interfitting and overlapping slabs resting on one another and tied together by the anchors to facilitate the transmission of appliedloads from one slab to another across the joint.

Another object of the invention is the provision of :a road center jointform of unitary construction formed of a metal place having the intermediate longitudinal portion thereof cut and formed wlthspaced anchor plates disposed .at right angles to the joint plate and supported by inclined connecting plates forming reversed upper and lower pockets whereby concrete poured to embed the joint form is formed into interfltting and overlapping concrete slabs for the transfer of applied load and strains from one side of the roadto the other.- 1 a i It is an important object of the invention to provide road center joint sheet metal ,forms of unitary construction adapted to be placed end to end and supported and braced in position on a road subgracle to permit pouring of concrete to embed the aligned forms and form a road the opposite sides of which not only interfit but overlapeach other in anchored relationship to transfer applied loads from one side of the road to the other. v

Other and .further important objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary isometric view of an improved road center joint embodying the principles of this invention and illustrating two joint forms in abutting aligned position engaged in a supporting base member;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical detail section taken across the joint on line II-II of Figure 1 and showing the concrete road slabs in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse detail section a: the road joint form taken on line III-III of Figure 1.

As shown in the drawings:

This invention concerns itself more pa "icularly with a center joint roadiorm, a number of which are adapted to be placed in abutting aligned relationship along the longitudinal center line of a road subgrade, with the forms engaged in and braced on spaced base members for holding the forms ready for embedding in concrete to form interfitting and overlapping road slabs for the transmission of loads and strains from the slabs on one side of the road to the slabs on the opposite side of the road.

The improved road center joint forming mechanism primarily consists of a, new type of joint form, a number of which are used and are placed end to end in abutting alignment. Each of the road forms is constructed of comparatively light weight sheet metal which is stamped out or cut out, then formed into a unitary form consisting" of a flat base plate I and a top plate 2, both of which extend throughout the leneth'of the form.

The lower and upper plates l and 2 are integrally connected by an intermediate strip. The intermediate strip is cut or stamped out transversely to form a plurality of spaced parallel slots at 3 which divide the intermediate strip into sections 4, each of which is stamped or cut to form two upper and two lower dovetail anchoring blades 5 leaving dovetail openings 6 in the plate section. The blades 5 have the inner ends thereof separated by a connecting plate or strip 1.

Each of the stamped out intermediate plate sections 4 is bent or shaped into a zigzag form to include an inclined top wall 8 which slants outwardly and downwardly from the top plate 2, and an inclined lower wall 9 which slants outwardly and upwardly from the bottom plate I. The two inclined walls 8 and 9 are integrally connected to the middle stri 1 which is disposed at right angles to the plane of the plates l and 2 and thereby positions the anchoring blades 5 in the plane of the middle strip 1.

The intermediate form sections flare arranged with adjacent sections having the intermediate portions thereof zigzaged in opposite directions, as illustrated in Figure 1. This arrangement permits the upper recesses or pockets formed in adjacent sections'of the form between the horizontal center strip 1 and the oppositely inclined top walls 8 to open in opposite directions. This is also true with respect to the lower recesses or pockets of adjacent sections of the form. It will thus be seen that with the upper and lower pockets of adjacent sections opening in opposite directions that the concrete when poured to embed the joint forms will be formed into concrete slabs l0 and l i on opposite sides of the form with said slabs having projecting triangular shaped stag gered upper and lower dentils or flying buttresses I2 and i3, respectively, integrally formed thereon. The flying buttresses of the opposite slabs permit the slabs to not only interfit with one another but furthermore permit overlapping of the'slabs with the upper buttresses l2 of one slab projecting over the lower buttresses l3 of an opposite slab. The interfitting of the slabs is obtained by the upper and lower buttresses of one slab respectively projecting between the upper and lower buttressesof anopposite slab. The

-' interfltting and overlapping of opposite road slabs produced by the improved road forms permits loads, thrusts and strains applied to one slab on one side of the road to be carried or transmitted across the joint to slabs forming the opposite side of the road.

In the use of the improved sheet metal road forms for the construction of a road center joint, the forms are placed end to end in abutting alignment. The lower abutting ends of the lower beneath one of the base flanges I6.

plate portions I of the forms are engaged between the U-shaped spring flanges M which form an integral part of a plate I5 of a supporting base unit. The outer end margins of the base plate I5 are upwardly and inwardly bent to form retaining flanges l6.

To assist in holding the abutting joint forms braced in position along the center of the road subgrade, each of the base units supports two inwardly inclined brace legs l1. Each of the brace legs i'lhas the lower end bent outwardly to form a foot l8 which is frictionally inserted A hook or tongue I9 is formed on the upper end of each of the legs [1. The hooks l9 are engaged through slots 20, one in the wall 9 and the other in the horizontal strip 1. The hooks l9, after insertion, are bent over to secure the upper ends of the brace legs I! in place. If desired, both of the abutting ends of the joint forms may be provided with brace legs so that there will then be two legs supported on each side of each base .unit. The base units are spaced at the abutting end of the joint for-ms, and intermediate the ends of said forms in case they are required.

The upper abutting corners of the aligned joint form plate portions 2 are held in place by U- shaped or channel connectors 2| which clamp over the top edges of the plate portions 2 as illustrated in Figure 1.

While the improved joint form has been described as adaptable for use in the construction of a road center joint, it is to be understood that .the forms may be used in the construction of transverse road joints, such as construction joints or for the tieing together of concrete floor slabs and the like.

When the road forms are set up to a road subgrade along a longitudinal center line thereof and are connected and braced in position as illustrated in Figure l, the anchor blades 5 are disposedin the plane of the intermediate strips 1 of the forms, so that when concrete is poured on opposite sides of the joint forming forms the anchor blades will be embedded in opposite road slabs. By means of the improved shaping of the joint forms the concrete will fill the form pockets and produce the dentils or flying buttresses l2 and i3, on the adjacent faces of the formed slabs, so that a road construction is produced wherein the opposite slabs both interfit and overlap one another with the slabs holding each other in place. The resting of portions of one slab on parts of an opposite slab permits load forces applied to one side of the road to be transmitted across the joint to the opposite side of the road.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A road joint forming unit comprising a main joint sheet including an upper plate, a lower plate and an intermediate plate, said intermediate plate having spaced slots therein to divide the intermediate plate into a plurality of sections connecting the upper and lower plates, each of said intermediate sections stamped out to form a plurality of anchoring bladesseparated by a connecting strip and leaving openings in said sections, each of said intermediate'sections being shaped into a zigzag form to include inclined walls which in- .5 olude the openings of the section and said walls are inclined outwardly in opposite directions from the upper and lower plates and are connected by the connecting strip which is disposed at right angles to the upper and lower plates to position the anchor blades in the plane of the strip and projecting in opposite directions therefrom.

2. A road joint forming unit constructed of a single metal sheet including an upper plate, a bottom plate, and an intermediate plate, said intermediate plate having spaced slots therein to divide the intermediate plate into a plurality of sections stamped out to provide a plurality of anchoring blades separated by a connecting strip, said sections each being bent into zigzag form to form upper and lower pockets separated by the connecting strip which is disposed at right angles to the upper and lower plates and has the anchoring blades disposed in the plane of said connecting strip and projecting from opposite edges thereof.

3. In a concrete paving construction, the combination with a metal joint form having substantially erect upper and lower marginal portions connected by spaced alternately reversed zigzag portions formed with integral oppositely projecting anchoring members, each of said zigzag portions forming reversed upper and lower pockets there-in, of concrete slabs poured to fit opposite sides of the form to embed the anchoring members in opposite slabs and fill the pockets to form a series of upper and lower buttress portions and recesses in adjacent faces of the slabs permitting the slabs to interfit and rest on one another to hold the respective slabs in the same plane and for the transmission of load thrusts and strains across the joint from one slab to another.

4. A road joint forming mechanism for embedding between adjacent concrete road slabs, said joint mechanism comprising a plurality of aligned abutting plate forms, base holders for receiving abutting end portions of the forms seated therein, brace members engaged in the base holders and with the forms to brace the same in position for embedding between the concrete slabs, means for engaging the upper abutting corners of the forms to hold the same in alignment, each of said forms constructed of a unitary metal plate including upper and lower plain marginal portions connected by spaced connecting sections each including a middle plate positioned at right angles to the top and bottom plain marginal portions and connected thereto by oppositely inclined upper and lower walls, and anchoring members integral with each of the upper and lower inclined walls and disposed in the plane of the middle plate for anchoring the adjacent concrete road slabs together.

5. A road joint forming unit comprising upper and lower plain marginal plate portions, a middle plate portion disposed at right angles thereto, oppositely directed inclined plate portions connecting the middle plate portion to the upper and lower marginal plate portions to form oppositely directed upper and lower pockets, and anchoring blades struck from the inclined plate portions and disposed in the plane of middle plate portion to project in opposite edges thereof.

ROBERT R. ROBERTSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,505,174 Triol Aug. 19, 1924 2,007,955 Cornell, Jr. July 16, 1935 2,051,979 Awbrey Aug. 25,1936 2,060,274 Awbrey Nov. 10, 1936 2,107,827 Kerr Feb. 8, 1938 2,119,355 Robertson May 31, 1938 2,158,637 Robertson May 16, 1939 2,278,023 Robertson Mar. 31, 1942 2,311,286 Tufts Feb. 16, 1943 2,349,983 Musall May 30, 1944 

